Sunday, May 19, 2013

AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Africa

Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)
Home > Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Africa

See Prayer Information

Geography

Area: 1,106,000 sq km
Fertile, mountain plateau surrounded by the drought-prone lowlands and deserts of the Red Sea coast; borders on Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya and Sudan. Landlocked since the secession of Eritrea.
Population: 84,975,606    Annual Growth: 2.62%
Capital: Addis Ababa
Urbanites: 17.6%
HDI Rank: 171 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 116 (17% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: Amharic; majority of the population are able to speak it; English widely taught. Regional languages are very important    Languages: 88 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian
Religion               Pop %Ann Gr
Christians51,563,19860.682.7
Evangelicals16,657,37619.64.3

Answer to Prayer

The Bible is increasingly distributed and read; demand far outstrips supply. New translation projects are springing up amid several of the many languages. Access to the Bible in the Orthodox Church has brought tens of thousands into living faith in Christ. Increasingly, Orthodox churches are seeing the Spirit move, and they are relating more amicably with other Christian groups, including Catholics and evangelicals.

Challenge for Prayer

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is enduring a time of immense change. Centuries of isolation from the rest of the Christian world – as a Christian island in a sea of Islam – helped form its unique culture, theology and traditions.
a) It had to adjust to losing political privilege under Communism, which has only been partially restored since 1990. Syncretism and superstitions are widespread among millions of the more nominal Orthodox.
b) The rapid spread of the use of Scriptures and the growth of Protestant denominations led to millions of defections and the emergence of strong evangelical and charismatic networks within the Orthodox Church. Orthodoxy is learning to find common ground with evangelicals while retaining its own unique character.
c) Pray for a deep work of the Holy Spirit to revitalize this ancient Church, its biblical heritage and its spiritual legacy.
     For an additional 10 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

More Information

The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Ethiopia.
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Job 33 (New International Version)




Job 33

1 "But now, Job, listen to my words; pay attention to everything I say.

2 I am about to open my mouth; my words are on the tip of my tongue.

3 My words come from an upright heart; my lips sincerely speak what I know.

4 The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

5 Answer me then, if you can; prepare yourself and confront me.

6 I am just like you before God; I too have been taken from clay.

7 No fear of me should alarm you, nor should my hand be heavy upon you.

8 "But you have said in my hearing— I heard the very words-

9 'I am pure and without sin; I am clean and free from guilt.

10 Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy.

11 He fastens my feet in shackles; he keeps close watch on all my paths.'

12 "But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than man.

13 Why do you complain to him that he answers none of man's words [a] ?

14 For God does speak—now one way, now another— though man may not perceive it.

15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds,

16 he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings,

17 to turn man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride,

18 to preserve his soul from the pit, [b] his life from perishing by the sword. [c]

19 Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in his bones,

20 so that his very being finds food repulsive and his soul loathes the choicest meal.

21 His flesh wastes away to nothing, and his bones, once hidden, now stick out.

22 His soul draws near to the pit, [d] and his life to the messengers of death. [e]

23 "Yet if there is an angel on his side as a mediator, one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,

24 to be gracious to him and say, 'Spare him from going down to the pit [f] ; I have found a ransom for him'-

25 then his flesh is renewed like a child's; it is restored as in the days of his youth.

26 He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God's face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state.

27 Then he comes to men and says, 'I sinned, and perverted what was right, but I did not get what I deserved.

28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, [g] and I will live to enjoy the light.'

29 "God does all these things to a man— twice, even three times-

30 to turn back his soul from the pit, [h] that the light of life may shine on him.

31 "Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.

32 If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want you to be cleared.

33 But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom."
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Job 32 (New International Version)




Job 32

Elihu

1 So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. 3 He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him. [a] 4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he. 5 But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.
6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said: "I am young in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know.

7 I thought, 'Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.'

8 But it is the spirit [b] in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.

9 It is not only the old [c] who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.

10 "Therefore I say: Listen to me; I too will tell you what I know.

11 I waited while you spoke, I listened to your reasoning; while you were searching for words,

12 I gave you my full attention. But not one of you has proved Job wrong; none of you has answered his arguments.

13 Do not say, 'We have found wisdom; let God refute him, not man.'

14 But Job has not marshaled his words against me, and I will not answer him with your arguments.

15 "They are dismayed and have no more to say; words have failed them.

16 Must I wait, now that they are silent, now that they stand there with no reply?

17 I too will have my say; I too will tell what I know.

18 For I am full of words, and the spirit within me compels me;

19 inside I am like bottled-up wine, like new wineskins ready to burst.

20 I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and reply.

21 I will show partiality to no one, nor will I flatter any man;

22 for if I were skilled in flattery, my Maker would soon take me away.
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Proverbs 19 (New International Version)




Proverbs 19

1 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.

2 It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.

3 A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD.

4 Wealth brings many friends, but a poor man's friend deserts him.

5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free.

6 Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of a man who gives gifts.

7 A poor man is shunned by all his relatives— how much more do his friends avoid him! Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found. [a]

8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers.

9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will perish.

10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury— how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

11 A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

12 A king's rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

13 A foolish son is his father's ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.

14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

15 Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry.

16 He who obeys instructions guards his life, but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die.

17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.

18 Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.

19 A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.

21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

22 What a man desires is unfailing love [b] ; better to be poor than a liar.

23 The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge.

26 He who robs his father and drives out his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace.

27 Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

29 Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.
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Psalm 143 (New International Version)




Psalm 143

A psalm of David.

1 O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.
2 Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you.

3 The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in darkness like those long dead.

4 So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed.

5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.

6 I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

7 Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

9 Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD, for I hide myself in you.

10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

11 For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.

12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.
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